Cavanaugh 20, Badin 0
Junior running back Olivia Dietzel had 58 yards from scrimmage on just five touches, the Chaos defense was stingy for a second straight game and Cavanaugh defeated Badin 20-0 on Tuesday night to earn their first win of the season.
Dietzel and the Chaos (1-1) scored on a 35-yard touchdown run on the first play from scrimmage after the Cavanagh offense failed to get on the scoreboard Sunday against Pasquerilla East.
"Our offense did a much better job with all the details today," Cavanaugh senior captain Meaghan Ayers said. "Receivers made catches, our quarterbacks threw the ball well, and we were able to mix it up and keep the defense on their toes."
Ayers said she was also pleased with the effort from her defense, which didn't yield a first down until the second half.
"We had a few players out, but our freshmen stepped up and got the job done," Ayers said.
Despite a second loss in three days for the Bullfrogs (0-2), sophomore captain and starting quarterback Tina Techar said she saw progress from her team. She was pleased with the play of junior receiver Brianna Leon, who caught four passes for 35 yards in the second half.
"As you could start to see in the second half, we're starting to gel more as an offense," Techar said. "[Leon] and I had some chemistry going in the second half and I think we will try to capitalize on that going forward."
Both teams are back in action Sunday, with the Bullfrogs searching for their first win against Farley and Cavanaugh looking for another win against Lewis.
Contact Evan Anderson at eander11@nd.edu
Ryan 23, Walsh 0
Ryan shut out Walsh 23-0 in a Monday night showdown under the lights.
The Wildcats' (2-0) defense recorded three interceptions, keeping the Wild Women (0-2) off the scoreboard. One of the interceptions came during the Wild Women's first offensive drive, and senior captain Andrea Carlson said this gave Ryan an early boost.
"That first interception was really good for getting the momentum turned around since we didn't score on our first drive," Carlson said.
The game's momentum continued to swing. Near the end of the half the Wildcats grabbed two touchdowns, both scored by freshman quarterback Kathleen Conaty.
Walsh was also adjusting to a new quarterback, junior Julianne Carson, and the installation of many freshmen players in key roles. However, junior captain Molly Johnson was optimistic about the players' potential.
"What we saw today, even though we lost, was great considering a majority of the team is freshmen who are new to flag football," Johnson said. "We haven't had a lot of chances to prepare so I think we've made great improvement since the first game."
Walsh's defense recorded its only interception of the game in the third quarter, but the offense was unable to convert the opportunity into points.
Carlson, who scored the Wildcat's final touchdown of the game on a pass from Conaty, believes that the victory over the Wild Women still leaves room for improvement.
"I think we are looking to get our offense going a little more," Carson said. "23 is a good number for us but we want it to be even better."
Ryan will attempt to remain undefeated when it takes on Farley on Monday while Walsh looks to bounce back from defeat against Howard on Sunday.
Contact Christina Kochanski at ckochans@nd.edu
Pangborn 24, Welsh Family 0
In a late game on a chilly Monday night, the clash between Pangborn and Welsh Family resulted in a 24-0 rout, with the Phoxes (2-0) claiming the victory over the Whirlwinds (0-2).
The Phoxes were hampered early on by a slew of penalties on both sides of the ball, but finally found paydirt near the end of the second quarter with a touchdown run by junior quarterback Caitlin Gargan.
Welsh Family responded with a drive deep into Pangborn territory as the first half came to a close, but the Phoxes bailed themselves out with a late interception they almost returned for a touchdown of their own.
While the Whirlwinds had trouble with penalties and slowing Pangborn's offensive attack, Welsh Family sophomore captain Johanna Blake was happy with the heart her team showed and hopes to improve upon their mistakes on defense.
"We looked better on offense. We had a couple tough breaks on defense," Blake said. "All in all I was really pleased with the effort and plays we did make."
In the second half Pangborn dominated, racking up two more touchdowns. The first came on another run by Gargan, while the game's final score was a pass from Gargan that found junior center Ally Weaver in the end zone.
"That was a great play," Pangborn senior captain Mary Veselik said.
Pangborn will next match up against Breen-Phillips on Sunday, while the Whirlwinds will go for their first win Sunday against McGlinn.
Contact Mitchell Meersman at mmeersma@nd.edu
Pasquerilla West 28, Pasquerilla East 7
Pasquerilla West's strong start offensively and defensively proved to be too much for Pasquerilla East to come back as the Purple Weasels (2-0) cruised to a 28-7 victory over the Pyros (1-1).
The Purple Weasels shut down the Pyros' offense early and often, forcing punts and failed fourth down conversions and giving Pasquerilla West excellent field position throughout the first half. With an explosive backfield, including freshman running back Allie Griffith, Pasquerilla West beat the Pyros to the edges to break multiple large runs, including the first touchdown. With a run game that kept Pasquerilla East on their toes defensively, Pasquerilla West exercised a deadly pass game, scoring three of their four touchdowns through the air. Senior captain Breezi Toole said she thinks that if their young receivers, like freshman Monica Busse and sophomore Mary Kate Vicenzi, continue to consistently improving, Pasquerilla West's offense will be a force to be reckoned with in the future.
"They worked hard in practice and it really showed today," she said. "On offense our young receivers really improved from last game."
The Pyros were able to convert one fourth down for a touchdown, when senior running back Kiah Schaefbauer, who was coming off a two touchdowns in her first game, found the end zone.
However, the Pyros were unable to field any further response to the Purple Weasels' defensive wall. After Pasquerilla West scored three touchdowns in the first half, Pasquerilla East looked to change their defensive scheme in the second half to prevent Griffith from getting to the outside and Pasquerilla West's receivers from making big plays. Though their strategy was successful and they held the Purple Weasels to only a touchdown after halftime, the deficit was still too great for the Pyros to overcome.
The Pyros will have a bye weekend to regroup, while the Purple Weasels will try to remain undefeated this weekend against Lyons.
Contact Eric Richelsen at erichels@nd.edu
